The College of Pharmacy discussed the MSc thesis entitled “Challenges Facing Management of Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease using Biological Agents and Their Impact on Patient Outcomes: A two-phase study” by the student Hasan Ali Owayez and his supervisors Assistant Professor Dr. Ali Lateef Jasim in the Clinical Pharmacy Department and Consultant Dr. Haider Jamal Mahmoud at the Gastroenterology and Hepatology Teaching Hospital/ Medical City
The study aimed to explore the challenges Iraqi physicians face in managing IBD with biological therapies along with their recommendations for improving care, assess barriers to patient adherence, and evaluate the impact of these factors on treatment response and quality of life.
The study included two parallel phases: a qualitative phase exploring physicians’ perspectives on the challenges of managing IBD patients, and a cross-sectional phase involving patient recruitment. It was conducted at the Gastrointestinal and Hepatology Teaching Hospital, Medical City, Baghdad, Iraq, from December 2024, to February 2025.
The study concluded the challenges in managing IBD in Iraq. The qualitative phase highlighted systemic issues including diagnostic delays, therapeutic deficiencies, and institutional limitations. Quantitative findings strong correlations were observed between adherence barriers and QoL, as well as with inflammatory markers and clinical severity.
The study recommended highlighting the need to secure medication, strengthen international collaboration by drawing on the experiences of countries with similar constraints, and enhance patient adherence via education, psychological support, and structured follow-up.
